Backyard chickens in Salinas, California
Everything you need to know before you start a backyard flock in Salinas – the rules, the climate and the neighbors with teeth.
Can you keep chickens in Salinas?
Thinking about backyard hens in Salinas? Unfortunately, the City Council has twice declined to legalize residential chicken-keeping — most recently voting the proposal down 5-2 in January 2022 — so keeping poultry on residential property remains prohibited under the city's livestock ordinance.
Backyard chickens are not currently legal in Salinas. Under the existing Salinas Municipal Code, Article II of Chapter 7 ("Keeping Livestock"), the keeping of livestock is prohibited in the city, and "livestock" is defined to include cows, pigs, sheep, horses, alpaca, goats, and poultry or fowl (Sec. 7-02.100 / former Sec. 7-21). A proposed ordinance (the "Domestic Chickens" ordinance) that would have created a new Sec. 7-02.200 to legalize up to four hens per lot in the Low-Density Residential (R-L) zoning district was drafted and brought to the City Council, but it failed on a 5-2 vote on January 19, 2022, so it never took effect and the general livestock/poultry prohibition remains the operative law. City officials confirmed that as a result, residents keeping chickens or other livestock on their property remain in violation of the code.
The rules at a glance
- Hens in city limits
- Restricted
- How many hens
- Not Allowed
- Roosters
- No
- Permit required
- No
- Permit cost
- Not specified
- Setback from property line
- Not specified
Peggy knows Salinas
The rules, straight from the municipal code.
Because the City Council rejected the ordinance that would have authorized backyard hens, there is currently no lawful path to keep chickens (or any coop) on residential property in Salinas — the general Chapter 7 prohibition on keeping "livestock," a term that expressly includes poultry/fowl, applies citywide.
For reference, the rejected draft ordinance (had it passed) would have allowed up to 4 hens only in the R-L zoning district, on lots of at least 5,500–5,550 sq. ft., with hen houses/coops set back at least 10 feet from property lines, located in the back yard and not visible from the front of the property, kept odor- and nuisance-free, and covered by an annual, non-transferable city permit (proposed one-time/annual fee around $150). Roosters would have been banned everywhere in the city, on-site slaughter would have been prohibited, and egg sales would not have been allowed. None of these provisions are in force, since the ordinance did not pass.
Where this comes from
- City of Salinas Legistar - Domestic Chickens Ordinance (Draft, Jan. 18, 2022) ↗
- KION Central Coast - 'Are backyard chickens allowed in Salinas?' (updated Jan. 19, 2022) ↗
- Yahoo News - 'Birds are messy:' Salinas City Council votes 5-2 against hens ↗
- Monterey County Now - Salinas considers, and tanks, a chicken ordinance ↗
Keeping a flock happy in Salinas
🌡️ Climate
USDA Hardiness Zone 9b (Mediterranean/Coastal Valley climate)
Salinas sits in the cool, foggy Salinas Valley near Monterey Bay, with mild, dry summers and cool, wet winters. Temperature swings are moderate compared to inland California, but coastal fog and wind mean coop ventilation and draft protection both matter for poultry health.
🦝 Who's after your hens
The Salinas Valley's agricultural surroundings support healthy populations of raccoons, coyotes, foxes, skunks, opossums, and raptors, all of which could pose a risk to any future backyard flocks if the city's chicken ban is ever lifted.
🐔 Breeds that do well here
Because chicken-keeping is not currently legal in Salinas, breed selection is not applicable at this time; residents interested in future ordinance changes may wish to research cold/fog-tolerant dual-purpose breeds such as Plymouth Rocks, Orpingtons, or Wyandottes for this coastal climate.
Our package comes with two Rhode Island Reds – hardy in heat and cold, and friendly with kids.
Questions people ask about Salinas
▸Are backyard chickens legal in Salinas, California?
No. Salinas Municipal Code Article II of Chapter 7 prohibits keeping livestock, a category that is defined to include poultry and fowl. A 2022 proposal to carve out an exception allowing up to four hens failed on a 5-2 City Council vote on January 19, 2022, so the general prohibition still applies.
▸Did Salinas ever consider allowing chickens?
Yes. Proposals were floated starting in 2019, considered again in November 2020, and a formal draft ordinance reached a City Council vote in January 2022. It would have allowed up to four hens (no roosters) on R-L zoned lots of at least 5,500 sq. ft. with a permit, but the Council voted against it 5-2, citing concerns about noise, odor, past illegal cockfighting, and limited animal-control resources.
▸Can I keep roosters in Salinas?
No. Even under the rejected draft ordinance, roosters would have been banned anywhere in the city, and under the current general livestock prohibition, no poultry — hens or roosters — may be lawfully kept.
▸Do nearby Monterey County cities allow backyard chickens?
Yes — several neighboring cities are more permissive. Marina and Seaside allow up to four hens (no roosters), Monterey requires a permit for more than four birds, Carmel allows two hens with design review, and Pacific Grove and Soledad allow chickens subject to a permit, according to Monterey County Now's reporting on the issue.
▸What happens if I keep chickens in Salinas anyway?
City officials have stated that keeping chickens or other livestock in Salinas remains illegal, and violations of the livestock-keeping prohibition can be subject to code enforcement action.
City rules change, and this page is a summary rather than legal advice. Please confirm with Salinas or your HOA before you order – and call us on (559) 321-7271 if you'd like a hand. Last checked August 5, 2026.
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